Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Short-Term Rental Market
Buzzards Bay STRs averaged $387/night at 45.3% occupancy in April 2026, with summer peaks reaching 78.7% occupancy and $510 ADR.
Quick Answer: Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Cape Cod market area is 45%. average monthly revenue in the Cape Cod market area is $6,957. average daily rate in the Cape Cod market area is $566. the top operator in the Cape Cod market area is Vacasa with 649 listings. market score is 46/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Cape Cod regional market, which includes Buzzards Bay. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Buzzards Bay.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Buzzards Bay sits at the entrance to Cape Cod, connected via the Cape Cod Canal, drawing an estimated 3 million visitors per year to the canal’s 7-mile recreation trail. The short-term rental market here is large: approximately 13,460 active listings as of the latest snapshot, with 3-bedroom properties forming the largest bedroom segment (3,963 listings), followed by 2-bedroom (2,790), 4-bedroom (2,659), 1-bedroom (2,498), and 5-bedroom-plus (1,538) units.
In April 2026, average daily rate across all listings reached $387 at 45.3% occupancy, producing RevPAR of $175. Year-over-year, ADR is up 6.3% and revenue is up 15.6%, while occupancy slipped 2.3 percentage points. The market is strongly oriented toward entire-place rentals, which account for 12,836 of roughly 13,460 total listings (about 95%), with private rooms representing most of the remainder (623 listings). Platform distribution shows roughly equal presence on Airbnb and Vrbo, with 6,629 listings on both platforms simultaneously, 3,928 Airbnb-only, and 2,903 Vrbo-only.
Market scores from the latest snapshot reflect a highly seasonal destination: the revenue growth score is 89.9 out of 100, investability scores 60.1, and regulation scores 68.7, but seasonality scores only 45.7, reflecting the narrow summer peak that defines demand here.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 30% |
| Feb | 42% |
| Mar | 42% |
| Apr | 48% |
| May | 51% |
| Jun | 67% |
| Jul | 77% |
| Aug | 79% |
| Sep | 45% |
| Oct | 34% |
| Nov | 31% |
| Dec | 33% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Buzzards Bay are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Cape Cod market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Cape Cod market as a whole, which includes Buzzards Bay, so these counts are not Buzzards Bay-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 649 | 21,321 | ★ 4.51 |
| 2 | Del Mar Vacation Rentals | 398 | 18,661 | ★ 4.78 |
| 3 | Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals | 352 | 1,817 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | New England Vacation Rentals | 277 | 1,581 | ★ 4.66 |
| 5 | Robert Paul Vacations | 190 | 1,836 | ★ 4.69 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Buzzards Bay?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Buzzards Bay are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 29.2% |
| vrbo | 21.6% |
| both | 49.2% |
Home Value Trends (Buzzards Bay)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Buzzards Bay are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Buzzards Bay — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal throughout the Town of Bourne (which includes Buzzards Bay). There is no local STR registration or permit program at the town level. The primary compliance requirement is state-level registration with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue via MassTaxConnect, required for rentals of 31 nights or fewer.
The total lodging tax in Bourne is 14.45%, composed of 5.7% state room occupancy excise, 6.0% Bourne local option excise, and 2.75% Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund excise. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo generally collect and remit these taxes on behalf of hosts.
There is no owner-occupancy requirement, no primary-residence requirement, and no cap on rental nights for standard dwelling units. The notable restriction applies to Accessory Dwelling Units: Bourne’s zoning bylaw prohibits ADUs from operating as short-term rentals and generally requires a minimum rental term of 90 days for ADUs. Standard building, fire, health, and habitability codes apply to all rental units.
Enforcement at the local level is described as minimal compared to higher-tourism Cape Cod towns. No Bourne-specific STR ordinance changes were confirmed in recent sources, though the statewide registration requirement has been in effect since July 2019. Operators should confirm current rules with the Bourne Health and Building Departments, as Cape Cod municipalities have been actively reviewing STR policies.
Market Comparison
At $387 ADR and 45.3% occupancy, Buzzards Bay sits well above national STR medians (approximately $220 ADR and 55% occupancy nationally) on rate but below the national median on occupancy. The ADR premium reflects the coastal Cape Cod location and the area’s status as a high-demand summer destination.
RevPAR of $175 is competitive for a Northeast coastal market with this degree of seasonality. The revenue growth score of 89.9 out of 100 places Buzzards Bay in the top tier nationally for revenue trajectory, and ADR growth of 6.3% year-over-year confirms the premium rate trend is intact.
Vacasa leads the local professional management market with 649 listings and 21,321 reviews (4.51 average rating), representing roughly 4.8% of total market listings. Del Mar Vacation Rentals follows with 398 listings and 18,661 reviews (4.78 rating). Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals holds 352 listings (4.69 rating), New England Vacation Rentals manages 277 listings (4.66 rating), and Robert Paul Vacations rounds out the top five with 190 listings (4.69 rating). The top five operators together account for approximately 1,866 listings, roughly 13.9% of market inventory, indicating a fragmented market where independent operators hold the majority of supply.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
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